Barnum sees some budget daylight

The Barnum school district got some good news recently, in a year that saw the small rural school district facing financial woes and then a pandemic.

In this case, however, two negatives made a positive. The fund balance for the Barnum school district should be around $450,000, the finance committee reported at the school board’s working meeting Tuesday, Oct. 6. Final figures will be presented to the board by the auditor at its monthly meeting Tuesday, Oct. 20, said superintendent Mike McNulty in a telephone interview this week.

“Fifty percent of the estimated savings was saved in transportation costs for special education,” he said. “That started during the state shutdown in March, but we were on spring break at the time.”

Before the coronavirus caused severe changes to life in Minnesota and most of the nation, the Barnum school board was facing the possibility of no fund balance.

“The board approved a list of budget cuts in February or March,” said McNulty. “Reductions were made across the board in supplies and staffing. They were implemented this school year. We were heading towards SOD where we wouldn’t have a fund balance. The board was talking about a referendum for more operating funds. We surveyed the public and they said that they weren’t going for it. The board dropped it.”

McNulty listed the savings:

• $38,000 in transportation;

• $35,000 saved in salaries for substitute teachers in all areas;

• $28,000 in food service;

• $21,000 in utilities;

• $5,000 in spring sports plus savings in other areas.

McNulty listed extra income that had been received, including revenues from formulas, tax-forfeited land sales of $18,000, Covid-19 funds and medical assistance funds.

“It all adds up,” he said. “The CRF (Coronavirus Relief Fund) money was income given to the district that had to be spent quickly. We won’t know for sure if the fund balance is $450,000 until the audit is presented to the board. But it should be pretty close to that amount.”